Witch Cat
by carbuckettycue
Summary: Tantomile and Coricopat aren't the only mysterious cats in the Junkyard, but they just might be the only ones who can unravel the mystery of the ghostly new cat in town: the Necromancer. But to do it, they just might need a little help...
1. The Summoning

A/N: Sorry, if it's a little confusing, it's been a while since I started this one... and apparently when I started this one I had an obsession with clothes... R&R, please! 

Disclaimer: I don't own Cats! I could wish, but I don't have a genie, so it wouldn't work. Also, if you find anything connected to something in this hodge-podge, I don't own it and I'm sorry!

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**Witch Cat**

_carbuckettycue_

"You can't have her!" The thin woman screamed, clutching her tiny daughter to her cloaked body. "She's a witch just like me, and you won't take her! She's my little witch cat! My Tantomile! She'll strike you down someday, mark my words!"

He snarled and lunged at her, and both she and her daughter disappeared with a burst of flame. He followed her in the nether, but when he found her there was no child. Tantomile was gone, forever. Good.

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**Part 1: The Summoning**

Tantomile stalked through the junkyard on the wake of her anger. Her long brown hair with it's few streaks of black and white hung out from under a tilted back pointy black witch's hat. Her thin amber eyes glowered at the world, and she stomped heavily with her six inch heeled black boots. When the black dressed witch cat was angry, the whole world knew.

And I mean black dressed. As well as her black hat and boots, she wore a black v-neck t-shirt and long black stretchy finger gloves, these were mostly covered by a long leather jacket which hung down to her knees. To complete her outfit, she wore either stretchy black flare pants or a skirt that was shorter then her jacket. When she wore the skirt, you could see that her leather boots came all the way up to her knees. But today, that was not the case. Today she wore pants.

She stalked into the dimly lit room that was her domain. Sitting at the table playing cards with Exotica and his little brother George was Alonzo. Just because Alonzo and George normally looked like regular black and white marked cats with kitty ears and twitching tails, didn't mean anything. Tanto was in the business of the supernatural. Alonzo and George were her pet dragons. George was just a baby one though, and could barely fly. They too wore black. Black vests over long-sleeved black shirts, and black cargo pants with black clonky laced boots.

"My, my, upset are we?" Alonzo asked casually tossing a card on the table.

Tanto glowered at him. "With good reason. Shut up."

George looked at her with his big purple dragon eyes. Unlike his brother, he preferred to stay a dragon most of the time. His size was no different, and it was easier on him. His small wings were almost as big as he was, and he sat up on his haunches, one paw resting on his cards. "We shouldn't play cards with a fortune teller. She always wins."

Exotica laughed. "I promised not to cheat didn't I?" She asked, tugging on one long black glove. Unlike Tanto, she wore full gloves, not finger gloves. Black jeans were her choice of wear, along with a black spaghetti string tank top and a black hooded sweatshirt jacket, unzipped and hanging just off her shoulders. Black high-heeled sandals was her choice of footwear.

Most magic-users wore black. It was just one of those things.

Tanto reached down and pulled a black and gray bottle off of her silver plated belt. The belt was basically several black strings tied together with round silver plates attached every few inches that had mysterious engravings on them. A very witchy belt. "Sillabub, get out here!" She commanded crossly. With a cloud of blue smoke and a strange noise, Silly drifted out of the bottle. "Yes Master?"

"Don't call me that." Tanto growled. "I need something to do. I'm bored."

Silly clapped her hands together, "I know Master! You need a boyfriend!"

"Get back in your bottle!" Yelled Tanto hotly, that wasn't the answer she was looking for. As Silly's black clothed form (she was wearing a black halter top and black pants but no shoes) blurred and flew into the bottle, Exotica started to laugh.

"Maybe she's right. Here, I'll see." Exotica pulled a card out of her deck, not out of the playing cards. "A boy sure enough." She turned the card over and it lit on fire. "A boy summoning."

"I already have summonings, pet dragons, a genie," she waved the bottle, "a faerie friend from another world, why do I need another? And a boy at that!"

Exotica was examining the flaming card. "He's a Warlock. A dead Warlock. But not dead? How strange." She looked up at Tanto and tossed her dark chocolate brown ponytail over one shoulder. "Well?"

Tanto glared at her, and the room seemed to shrink. Alonzo looked around nervously. At this point, Cassandra the faerie who normally hid her wings floated down from her seat on the book case. "Tantomile! Please, I don't want to have to shield everyone. And let Silly out! She was only trying to be helpful. You know she's a bit of a ditz!" Cassandra wore a cute black short-sleeved dress, it's hem line at the bottom of the skirt and the sleeves was cut in zigzags, and the neck was a v-neck. She landed on one toe of her black ballet-type shoes. "Well?" She put her hands on her hips holding her star-tipped wand in one hand.

Tanto blinked and shook her head, and the room slowly returned to it's normal dank self. "All right, I'll try it. But only because Exo's a fortune teller!"

"And Silly?" George asked quietly.

"Ohh! All right." Tanto rolled her eyes. "Silly, get out here, but stay out of my sight, got it? I'm going to the library." Silly hurriedly poofed out of the bottle, and Tanto stalked into the tunnel to the library, brushing past the mildewed curtain hanging in the door.

The library was, if it was even possible, even more dank then the main room. It smelled distinctly of old mildewy manuscripts, and the books were slowly rotting in their cases, but Tanto didn't care. She could read them, and that was what mattered. It wasn't like she couldn't just summon up new copies anyway. Just because that was a lot of work, she considered it more work to maintain their upkeep.

She scanned her list of titles and found a book on summonings that looked promising, then a book on Warlocks. She selected them off the shelves and sat down at a table. Tanto glowered at the lumpy candle sitting on the table and it burst into flame. The whole thing, not just the wick.

"I need to practice control." She muttered, but ignored the flame which had now made a face and appeared to be laughing at her. "They say witches and warlocks attract magic, and I guess that's true. I suppose that's the difference between us and magicians. Magicians practically are magic!" She laughed, and the face frowned.

"You aren't supposed to find this amusing." A deep voice spoke from the flame.

"Shut up!" She snapped, then did a double take. "You shouldn't talk! Who are you?"

"Hellfire." He spoke again.

She narrowed her eyes. "A demon."

"Yes, I'm checking you out girl. You could be dangerous."

"Dangerous to who? Your master, or YOU?" Tanto mocked.

She flipped open her book. "Page 102." The flame said.

"How'd you know?"

"I'm a demon. I know." The flame chuckled. "Don't worry, I won't tell my master unless he asks very specifically that you're trying to summon Coricopat."

"Coricopat?"

"Oh, you didn't know? He's the warlock you're trying to summon. Good luck, Witch Cat!!" The flame folded into itself with a maniacal laugh leaving behind only a normal candle flame flickering merrily on the wick of the candle.

"Jeez, couldn't ya have waited?" She muttered crossly. "Now it's dark." She read through the moldy text and sighed. "This is going to be hard! I've got my work cut out for me. But, apparently everyone thinks I should summon this 'Coricopat'. I'd better check, see who he is..." She trailed off and began flipping through the book on Warlocks.

"Here it is, 'One of the most famous Warlocks of our history, Coricopat lived to the distinct age of three hundred and twelve, but never aged. One day he disappeared, and a fortune teller was called to confirm his death. This was during the age of Metropolis the Magician, ruler of Mezzoka. His major contributions to history were...' wow that's a lot!" She laughed. "Maybe someday I'll be that good. But I doubt it. I'll never even make it into the Witches book, probably. Only official Witches make it there." She got up and headed for the cellar, her alchemy shop, carrying both the Book of Warlocks and Summonings.

"Let's see, do I have any harpy feathers down here?" She muttered digging through the jars. Everything was in jars, except, apparently, harpy feathers. "No harpy feathers, List, right that down." The last was directed at a sheet of paper and quill and ink known formally as 'List' which magically wrote down what it was told. She kept it in the cellar for when she was taking inventory. List quickly began scratching down what it was being told.

Tanto began to dig through the shelves for other various items, including liquid fire and gaseous ice. Dragon fire was required for part of the fire, but that was easy enough to find, just head upstairs! However, she would need a fire bottle, and she wasn't sure if she had one. She dug about hurriedly, and finally decided to just have Silly wish one up for her. That was the good thing about having a genie, even if she was a ditz. "List, fire bottle! Get writing." List continued it's scratching after dipping it's quill into it's ink.

Then, interrupting her scanning of the list in Summonings, Exo's voice floated down the stairs. "Remember the meeting? We're gonna be late! Old Deuteronomy isn't going to be happy about that!" Tanto flinched, while she wasn't scared of Old Deuteronomy, it was wise to keep on the good side of Clerics, it gave you more chance of getting in with the Everlasting Cat himself. And Old Deuteronomy was a Cleric.

"I'm coming!" She yelled up the stairs, then said to List, "Finish what you've got but keep the paper. I'll be back to finish this."

She climbed up the ladder out of the cellar into the basement and ran up the stairs to ground level, then through the tunnels to the main room. Tanto pulled her hat on her head tighter, and noting the time yelled, "Silly! Get us to the main part of the junkyard! Now! And mind it's all of us!"

They appeared just outside of the meeting area, and George quickly turned into a little cat boy. "You coulda warned me..." he whined, flattening his ears. Tanto ignored him and ran into the junkyard, coat flying out behind her.

"Woh!" She ran smack into a little black and white marked cat boy, who fell to the ground and instantly doubled, so that there was two of him.

"Sorry!" She ignored the strangeness of the situation, that was just Quaxo/Mistoffelees, so far doubling appeared to be his only talent. The others stampeded through nearly trampling Quaxo/Mistoffelees. Maybe he was a Magician though, Magicians had to learn tricks they didn't just know them. But they didn't learn them from books like Witches and Warlocks, they learned them from somewhere in their head. So basically, Magicians made their magic up, and that took a certain amount of dedication, which comes with age.

"Greetings all, I am pleased to see you all here on such short notice." Old Deuteronomy greeted, while his assistant Grizabella the once beautiful took a quick attendance. "Today I have called you here to introduce some new companions, as well as remind you, as I do every time I have the chance, to please behave yourselves."

All the teen Jellicles shifted uneasily muttering amongst themselves. "But we are behaving ourselves!" That was Trap, Munkustrap, with a grin on his face, obviously putting on a jokers face.

Tantomile rolled her eyes. No one ever complained about her behavior, that is, no one outside the tribe. But she didn't hardly associate with the other Jellicles, let alone outsiders. She noticed that two boys stood next to Old Deuteronomy, both white with brown stripes and brown patches. "Please, Munkustrap!" Old Deuteronomy laughed, "Let our new arrivals introduce themselves before you begin playing games!" Trap rolled his eyes at the other Jellicles, many of whom giggled.

Old Deuteronomy looked expectantly at the two boys. "Me name's Tumblebrutus," the older one said.

"Right, Tumblebrutas," said one of the Jellicles, because that was the way he said it.

"And I'm Bill Bailey." The other said, he wore blue jeans with holes in the knees, a brown long sleeve shirt that said 'Bill Bailey' on it, so Tanto assumed that was how he spelled his name, not like he said it 'Bill Baylay'. He wore full black gloves with the collar turned over. Unusual.

"Righto, Bill Baylay." That was Rum Tum Tugger, mocking him. Tanto rolled her eyes, Tugger was sooo immature. As Old Deuteronomy began talking she slipped away, grabbing Silly by the shirt strap and dragging her off with her.

"But Master! What if Old Deuteronomy notices!" Silly cried, distraught.

"I need you to wish up some components for my summoning spell." Tanto growled, "I don't care what the cleric thinks, that we showed up at all is something."

After finishing her check for ingredients, checking List and having Silly wish up the missing things, and mixing up her cream, she remembered that she needed dragons fire. "George!" She yelled, "Get down here!" She chose George because he could become a dragon indoors and not wreck the house, plus his jets of flame were much smaller and less dangerous.

George trundled down the stairs awkwardly on his hind legs, Tanto really didn't know why he walked like that, it didn't look very natural. But maybe it was. Maybe baby dragons were just funny looking. She climbed up the ladder to meet him, because George couldn't climb ladders as a dragon, and she didn't want to tire him out.

"I need some fire in my bottle. Blow." She told him, handing him the fire bottle. George took it, and gleefully blew into it, the last time he'd had this must fun was Exo's birthday, when he got to light the candles. "What is with baby dragons and fire? Wait, forget I asked. It's a dragon thing, isn't it." George nodded, handed her the bottle, and stumbled back up the stairs. She took the corked bottle, and climbed down the ladder.

In her cellar, she took her mixture and spread it over the floor in the shape of a star. She looked at the time and sighed, it was the next day, she should change her clothes quick... Tanto disappeared up the ladder but several minutes later returned, this time in a black skirt. "Okay, stand in the center of the star, release the dragons fire and say..." she read out loud, and followed her instructions opening the fire bottle after stepping into the center of the star. "Qwuelarae!" As the fire blew forward it began to form a shape, and when it dissipated a semi-translucent Warlock stood in front of her. "Weird." Tanto said, to no one in particular.

Then the sending spoke. "You're tellyng me."

"Move it, Coricopat." She told him, pointing at the ladder.

"Aren't you goyng to go fyrst?" he asked.

"NO!" She yelled, "NOW GO!!!"

The sending, Coricopat, walked over to the ladder, and began to climb it, long loose black pocketed coat flapping about as he climbed. He too wore black boots, but the heels were much shorter, and as with most magic users, he wore gray pants, black finger-gloves, and a black shirt. She followed him up the stairs, and he gazed down at her, she tried not to shy away from that look, he looked an awful lot like her, only a little more streaks of black and white in his shoulder-length hair. "Nyce skyrt." Copat said impassively.

"Thanks. I'm glad you like it." She told him with a fake smile and headed up the stairs, through the tunnel and into the main room. As soon as she entered everyone looked up, they were all back here now.

"Well, I was right." Commented Exo. "Honestly, you'd think you people would learn that I am always right."

Alonzo rolled his eyes, but before he could speak, Silly burst out, "Oh Master, what's his name?!"

Coricopat looked at her strangely. "A genye, huh?" He sighed and spread his arms wide. "Y, am Coricopat."

"Nice to meet you Coricapat!" Giggled Silly, grinning care-freely. "I'm Sillabub, Tantomile is my master! Isn't that great? And this is Exotica and Alonzo and George and Cassandra..." She cut off at the look Coricopat was giving her, kind of a sardonic 'okay...?' look. "What?"

"A dytzy genye. Great, jist what the doctor ordered."


	2. Changing Fortunes

A/N: Oh, I am so sore. Track practice just started and I swear I can't move!!!! I wouldn't have time to do this, but fortunately I don't have any precalculus homework tonight! This part's not as long as the last, but... please R&R! 

Disclaimer: I don't own anything except the stupid demon in this story! I don't own Cats! I repeat, I do not own Cats!

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**Part 2: Changing Fortunes**

Macavity sat inside a star painted on the pavement outside his warehouse home, tapping his black sneakers with white stars on the ankles on the ground impatiently. "Hurry up, Hellfire," he growled, gazing up at the sky. Just then, a dragon soared over head, a great huge dragon with... there must be at least five of them, and... a baby dragon?! Who were these people? Hellfire's smiling flaming mask appeared in front of Macavity, who thrust one gloved hand at the disappearing dragons. "Who're they?"

"Jellicles, I think." Hellfire said. "The witch is called Tanto, short for..." He paused tauntingly.

"Short for what you worthless son of a..."

"Tantomile. Witch cat."

"And the others?" Macavity snarled, grabbing the Hellfire's flaming mask in his gloved fists.

Hellfire's smile became a frown. "Alonzo, George..."

"And which one they are you worthless..."

"Alonzo, the dragon. George, the baby dragon. Sillabub, the genie. Coricopat, a sending. Cassandra, a fairy. And Exotica, a fortune teller." Macavity released the demon who began to smile again.

"Thank you. Now, you say they're Jellicles?" Macavity asked, relaxing.

Hellfire didn't answer.

"Are they Jellicles you..."

"Yes. What else did you think they were? Most magic users in this area are Jellicles, he's the only Cleric in the area..."

Macavity growled and cut him off with an angry thrust of his hand. "I get the POINT!" He stood up and stalked out of the star. "Do you think I should go after them?"

"I don't answer questions like that..." Hellfire teased.

"Should I go after them you rotten little mongrel..."

"Yes." Hellfire smiled, and disappeared.

"Hey! I didn't say you could leave yet!" Macavity shook his head and scuffed dirt over the star, he couldn't even control his element, fire! And there was a witch in town with that many summonings? Life just wasn't fair when you were the Napoleon of Crime. He shook out his black jacket and put it on over his black sweater, the days were getting cold, and headed off in the direction of the junkyard.

Shortly, Tanto and her friends had made their landing outside the junkyard and were now all in cat-person form, ready to pass through on their way to Tanto's place. As they walked through, the new kid, Bill Bailey chased after a lost frisbee and ran smack into Alonzo. He wasn't wearing his gloves at the moment either, and his hand brushed Alonzo's arm in a moment of panic.

Abruptly, and to everyone watching's surprise, Bill Bailey turned into a dragon. And so did Alonzo. Alonzo hurriedly changed back, but Bill Bailey didn't, apparently unable to. Tanto grabbed him by the muzzle and dragged him into her place, followed by her crowd.

"What just happened?" She demanded of the lanky looking small dragon.

The dragon shrugged, and opened it's mouth as if to speak. Instead, a jet of flame burst out of his mouth. Tanto flung her hands up and tried to remember whether she was immune to fire or not. But the fire never hit her.

Suddenly, the stream of flame changed direction and began to whirl about someone, a man in black. Tanto frowned, and glanced at Exotica, who held up a burning card and mouthed, "Macavity."

Macavity stepped forward out of the ring of fire, and it dispersed. "Well, well. What have we here? A fortune teller, a genie, two dragons, a sending, a witch, and..." He smiled to himself and reached out to pat Bill Bailey's shoulder. "...a power stealer. Quite the company you've gathered, Tantomile."

"You know who I am?" Tanto demanded harshly.

"Of course I know who you are." Macavity narrowed his eyes.

"He's a Warlock, element of fyre, as yoi've provably already giessed." Copat's voice was barely audible, a bare whisper in Tanto's ear. "But what Y'm willing to bet yoi don't know he mostly simmons demons."

"Demons? There was a demon in here the other day. All smiley and mask shaped..." She snapped her fingers together in an effort to recall the name, then remembered that she didn't know him.

Exo turned another card. "He knows." She nodded at Macavity.

Macavity brushed his hair out of his face. "Hellfire? He's a nuisance. Everything has to be a question, a rude one... And there's millions of things he won't answer. Doesn't have an opinion on anything..."

"What do you mean, power stealer?" Tanto asked, pulling at a long strand of hair. "Are you talking about Bill Bailey?

"Whatever are you talking about?" Macavity put on an annoying smiling face that betrayed nothing more then the fake smile of a very bored clown.

"The power stealer, that's the boy. A ryght powerfil one, Y'd bet." Copat murmered.

"What's a power stealer?" Tanto asked, still confused.

"Someone who's magycal talent ys to steal others magycal talent..." Copat watched Macavity intently with his amber eyes.

Exotica appeared to be studying her cards, ignoring them stubbornly. "The Napolean of Crime, you are? Ever heard of a Necromancer?"

Macavity frowned at her. "No. But I suppose I could speak to Hellfire... or those... horrible cats, I believe they're called."

"Horrible cats?" Silly looked nervous.

"You're Tanto's not the only one with friends." Macavity tossed his hair out of his face (it was definitely time for a trim) and grinned. "We'll find this Necromancer for your fortune teller friend."

* * *

Sometimes Tanto wished that Copat wouldn't talk with that annoying accent. She couldn't even put a name or a region to it, it was just weird. And why did she always obsessively compusively wear black?

"All magyc users wear black. Yt's tradytynal." Copat mouthed in her ear.

She shrieked. "Don't do that!" As her breathing slowed she glared at him. "How'd you know what I was thinking?"

Copat gave her a superior look. "Trade secrit."

"Why don't you learn to talk normal?" She demanded.

"Y do. You talk strange. Y talk the same Y always have."

"Yeah, yeah, shifts in the language, and all that." Tanto frowned and swept her hand across the table, scattering papers everywhere.

"On the shelf. Inder the Lyst."

"Thanks." Tanto reached over underneath List and pulled out the thick book entitled, Weilder's of Magic and Their Specialties. "I never believed that Macavity was a magic user. I guess I'd better do my homework. What can he do with his specialty of fire? Theoretically, I mean."

"Fyre ys a very tempermental element. One of the most dyffycult to control. Yt took me nearly one hindred years to master the more complex spells. Fyery blast in partycular ys not only dyffycult, but rysky. Typical of fyre magyc, yt wyll destroy both fryend and foe."

"Great. Do you suppose Macavity can do that?"

"Possybly, but not lykely."

She flipped open the book. "'A Witch or a Warlock will often have elemental specialties.' What? I don't have any elemental specialties. I'm just good at summoning. 'Fire is the rarest and most often misused of the elements, its weilders tend to be tempermental loners.' Blah, blah. Could of told you that." She skimmed down the page. "Oh, look. Here you are. 'Only a few witches and warlocks in history have had nearly complete control of all the elements, the Warlock summoner Coricopat is the only recorded.' That's you."

"And you."

"What? I don't have complete control of the elements."

"You have the potentyal."

"Oh, go away. I'm trying to read. Where is it... Here it is. Power stealers..." She settled down to reading, brushing her hair out of her face. So engrossing was the material that she didn't even notice that Copat was watching her intently. "What do you make of Exo's Necromancer? Is it a good omen, or a bad one?"

"There was one Necromancer who rose above the rest when Y was alyve. Look yn your book, yt wyll tell you." Copat took the book from her hands and flipped it deftly to the section on necromancers.

"'The necromancer calls upon the souls of the dead, forcing them into his service. Some necromancers work with spirits as equals, but most prefer to enslave spirits.' Okay, where is he..." She skimmed along the page until she found it. "The Necromancer was a magic wielder once known as Lord Gokhan. He attempted to use the spirits of the dead to ensure eternal life, but found it to be draining. He was responsible for the hunt of magic wielders as he desired to attempt to use their power to enhance his own.' Uggh, that's awful."

"He styll hunts." Copat told her seriously. "Untyl he dyes, he wyll never be satysfyed."

"And Exo thinks we should find him? Why?"

"Perhaps to kyll hym?" Copat suggested.

"What do you think I am? Some kind of hero?"


	3. Those Horrible Cats

A/N: Oh man, I should be doing my Phys and Anat homework. I have like, 12 diagrams to copy. No, I'm serious!! But I got like a page of this written during spanish the other day, and I just had to finish it. Sorry it's short. Please R&R! 

Disclaimer: And... (drum roll) I still don't own Cats!!! Big surprise there. Not.

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**Part 3: Those Horrible Cats**

Today, Tanto vowed, she would master this spell. The water dripped tantalizingly from the thin spout, taunting her in her failure. "This time," she informed it caustically, "you will freeze." Pointing dramatically, she chanted, "Ilea figadum!"

Nothing happened; the water continued to drip.

"Physiycal gestures are inneccesary." Copat commented condescendingly.

"Like you never use them..." she growled, eyes flashing.

"For dramatyc flayr, once and only once Y've mastered the yncantation." The witch glowered at him. "Also, yoi're sayyng the words wrong. Yt's Eelaeya freegadim."

The water froze. With a cry of frustration, Tanto uttered another spell (one of the few she knew that wasn't for summoning) and her book flung itself at Copat. He caught it easily and flipped it open. "Are these sipposed to be defenyve spells? They seem to be sadly lackyng."

"They're supposed to be attack spells." Tanto snapped.

"Evin worse." With a sigh, he tossed the book back to her. "Y'll fynd yoi another book. A better book."

"Fine. Until then, I'm practicing." Suddenly, inspiration struck her. "If I agree to learn out of this book you're going to find, will you learn to talk like you're from this century?"

He looked taken aback. "What? Y'm sipposed to do yoi two favors?" At the expression on her face, he relented. "Y shall endeavor to alter my speech habyts, and you shall endeavor to be the witch you oight to be... okay?"

She smiled grimly. "Okay."

* * *

"Ignis fulmen sulpur!" Tanto smiled as the small lightning bolt scorched the paper on her desk. "Copat, look! I did it."

"You myght... might want to try that with more power sometym..time. Y would suggest outsyde, though." She wilted under his dispassionate gaze.

"Come on, Copat! That was my first real lightning spell. You can't tell me I didn't do good." She whined. "Where's List?" Her hand swept across the desk, indicating the spot where the faithful object had been. "Did I do something to him?"

"No, Y believe..."

There was a giggle, followed by someone hissing, "Shh!"

"Conspicio appareo," Copat whispered, waving his hand slightly.

"Physical gestures," she muttered, then she saw them. "Who are you? And what are you doing in my study?"

The calico tom exchanged glances with the calico queen standing beside him, whose hand he was holding. He released her hand slowly. "Games up, sis." He looked Tanto in the eyes. "The boss told us abou' you an' yous, and..."

"Oi thought we should come an' see you for oursels." The queen finished.

"Fascinating," Copat murmured, "You've a penchant for invisibility. Care to enlyten us with the whereabouts of the List?"

They looked at each other mischievously. "Et was, Mungojerrie!" The tom produced the paper pad of the List.

"A-and, Rumpleteazer!" The queen produced the quill pen belonging to the List. "Are you shore you want it back?" Tanto nodded. "Darn. Well, it was nice while it laste'. Right Jer?"

"Right, Teaz." They placed the goods on the desk.

"Y've never met a pair of enchanters before..."

"Enchantress." Teaz declared, "He's an enchanter, Oi'm an enchantress. Not tha' we can do much, yet."

"Yeah, invisibloity is our best," Jer said, "but we can only do et if we hold paws."

Teaz brightened. "Yeah, but Oi figured how to not go invisible when we touch if we don' wanna."

"You figured? Oi figured." Jer frowned at her. "Anyways, why are you telling these strangers all our secrets? They're Jellicles, for Chrissake!"

"But Oi like them, Jer..." she protested, pulling at the string of pearls around her neck.

"And Y like you." Copat smiled, "both of you. Would you like to meet the others? Y'm Coricopat, a sending of a warlock."

"So, ye're dead?" Jer looked skeptical. "Oi don' believe et. No, not at all" His sister shook her head as well, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Well, believe or no, Y am Coricopat. Would you like to meet the others?"

Jer looked a bit suspicious, but Teaz clapped her paws together and cried, "Oh, yes please. Oi really wanna meet tha' black and white." She added in a conspiratorial whisper, "He's mighty fine."

"Alonzo? Y suppose he is..." Copat led the two siblings out of Tanto's study with a chuckle.

Looking around, Tanto realized something. "Oh no, you don't! Come back here, you thieves! Give me back my hen's teeth!"


	4. The First Move

A/N: I seem to always put up short chaps on this one... but I've been having a hard time getting it moving. I know where it's going, I know where it's been, I'm just not entirely certain where it's at right at this moment... Please, R&R! This is one of my fave stories of the ones I'm writing, but it's hard for me to keep motivated. 

Disclaimer: You get the idea, I don't own cats, blah-di-dah...

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**Part 4: The First Move**

"What is this?!" Tanto cried, "Another book with 'real' spells in it? It's enormous!" Copat just nodded as if there was nothing unusual about the fact. "I thought my books were big before! How am I ever supposed to finish this?"

"By studying diligently and living a very long time." Copat told her seriously.

"But if I'm supposed to find a Necromancer, I probably don't have a lot of time!" She fumed, slamming the book shut with a booming thud. "The thing practically has it's own soundtrack its so big!"

Copat sighed deeply. "You pick the ones that you think will be most important, and learn those. Then, when the battle comes, you hope that you chose right."

"WHAT??!!" She shrieked. "What kind of answer is that?"

"If it bothers you that deeply, I'll help you find the ones that I've found to be useful over the years."

She frowned down at the book in her hands, and closed her eyes in thought. "All right." She whispered, "I mean, yes please. That would be nice."

* * *

Bang-bang-bang! The door shook violently as someone outside pounded on it requesting entry. "Hold your horses!" Tanto yelled, standing up from the pile of books on the floor and brushing out the practice circle that Copat had made her construct before she attempted any 'serious' elemental spells. He had recommended that since her strength seemed to lie in summoning, she out to learn the elemental summonings-fire elemental, water elemental, air elemental, and so forth. She'd been about to try a water elemental when her work was interrupted. "Now I'm gonna have to make a new circle," she muttered as she strode over to the door.

It was Tugger and Quaxo/Misto (both forms, Quaxo and Mistoffolees, were actually present). "What do you want?" She asked, in no mood for Tugger's tomfoolery.

Quaxo hung from Tugger's right arm, and Misto from Tugger's left—normally, Tugger would have shaken them off immediately, and that should have been her first clue that something was wrong. "It's Victoria." Tugger told her.

"What, she's not following you around with a blank but adoring expression?"

He rolled his eyes. "No, Witch. She's missing. Quax and Misto can't find her anywhere. Misto thinks she was taken by magic. That's why we're here and not after dear-brother-Munkie."

"What makes you think it was magic?" She asked Misto, "And wouldn't it be a good idea to tell Munkustrap anyway?"

"Got a feeling." Quaxo said. She looked at Misto, "He doesn't talk, except for magic stuff." She nodded, they were one cat after all. There had to be some limitations to the doubling. "I got up this morning, and Viccy was gone. She went out to dance in the moonlight last night, but she wouldn't have left the junkyard!" His blue eyes gazed at her earnestly, and again, she nodded. "No normal cat can get past Munku's patrol. Only Macavity can do that, and it wasn't him."

"You're certain it wasn't Macavity?"

The two little black cats shook their heads. "No, just a feeling."

"We can check that!" Teaz giggled. "Roight Jer?"

"Yeh, anyways, Oi would know if the boss were gonna catnap a Jellicle..." Jer added.

"You would'a known? Oi would'a known!" Teaz exclaimed, indignant.

Jer rolled his eyes, "Anyways, he didn'a, and if he did, we'll find out for yous. Kay?"

Tugger gave them a suspicious look, but Misto and Quaxo nodded enthusiastically. "Thanks! Who are you?"

"Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer!" The two chorused, then clasped paws and walked back into the house. As soon as they were out of Tugger, Misto, and Quaxo's viewing range, they abruptly disappeared, with a giggle and a shushing noise.

Tanto frowned, "Exo, Copat, Silly, Cass! I need some advice, quick. We may have a major problem." She turned to Tugger and Misto/Quaxo. "Thank you, you can go now. I need to work."

"We wanna help!" Quaxo cried.

"Stay out from underfoot," Tanto ordered, "and practice your magic. We might just need you when we go to get Victoria, okay? Right now, though, you'd get in the way. Go home, get ready. Be prepared for anything."

Misto nodded seriously, but Quaxo looked a bit rebellious. "All right," he said, giving her a look that said that he thought she was just trying to get rid of him. "We'll show her," he muttered to Misto as they left with Tugger, "won't we?"

* * *

"Munkustrap!" Bustopher Jones puffed into the main junkyard. "Where's Old Deuteronomy? Victoria's gone missing!" Alonzo sat up suddenly from his position lounging in front of the tire. Missing? Victoria?

"Do you have any idea what might have happened to her?" Munku demanded, leaping down from his relaxed position with Demeter by the tire.

"I found a note, but I think it should wait to be discussed until Deuteronomy is here."

"I am here," the old cat appeared from the shadowy entrance to his den, "what is it?"

"This note, it.. it..." Bustopher couldn't keep his voice from shaking, so he handed the note to Munkustrap.

"Thank you for the dancing girl. She will serve me well. Do not try to rescue her, or I will break your tribe like I broke the Naunceries. Again, my thanks. Sincerely, Lord Gohkan." Munku frowned as he read the note. Next to the signature was a wax seal of a skull.

"Does that... tell you anything about where she might be?" Bustopher asked anxiously.

Munku looked to Deuteronomy, and then shook his head. "No, but we'll find her. Threats don't stop the Jellicles from caring for their own. Alonzo! Plato! Go with Bustopher and start looking for a trail. I'm going to round up the other fighters. Tumblebrutus, you're going to help Bombalurina and Tugger guard the yard, you hear?" His tail lashed restlessly, "Now where is Skimble?"


	5. The Dragon's Tail

A/N: This chapter's a little bit longer. It's really been a long time since I updated, and I'm really sorry. I intend to do better in the future... anyways, this is now my main story that I'm working on, so hopefully that will help. Thanks to Carliedra Felinity Addams for asking me when I was going to update, sorry I didn't respond, but it totally motivated me. (And your probably thinking, jeez, how much motivation does this girl need? That took forever!)

Disclaimer: Sadly, my diabolical schemes to own Cats never leave my wildest dreams...

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**Part 5: The Dragon's Tail (Tale)**

Alonzo's sense of smell was not anywhere near as good in his Jellicle form, and he knew it. Visual clues are all well and good, but a good smell left a good trail. Unfortunately, having a great, hulking dragon sniffing around is kind of conspicuous, so that was out of the question. "I wish we'd consulted Tanto first," he muttered to himself as they examined the ground, then added, a bit louder so that Plato could hear him, "I think we should go ask Exotica for a reading."

"Fortune telling? I doubt that would help." Plato commented, although he didn't sound mocking about it like some cats would. "Reading the cards only gets you so much information, right?"

"Well, it would be a better start than just shuffling around!" Alonzo retorted.

"What's all the fighting about?" Bustopher asked as he bustled back towards them, having stopped in the local coffee shop for some information (and, of course, a snack).

"Alonzo thinks we should consult the fortune teller."

"Magic? Fortune teller?" Bustopher shook his head, sounding incredulous. Of all the cats they were sent with, Alonzo mentally whined, it had to be Bustopher, the magic-phobiac. If he could ask Tanto, she could consult all her resources, and they could find Victoria that much faster. "Oh, I th-think not. You two gents should do fine."

"Skimble and Munku should be along soon, too." Plato said comfortingly. For a moment Alonzo wished he understood cats just a little bit better, instead of being such a dragon. It almost seemed as if Plato were trying to placate him! Why, Bustopher was the real problem here. . .

Taking a few deep, hopefully calming breaths, Alonzo focused on finding a trail. Turning into an enraged dragon and spewing fire everywhere would not help them find Victoria. Not at all.

* * *

It was nearly an hour of scouting around later before they found any trace of Victoria. Much to Alonzo's dismay, it was Plato who spotted the first clue. A cluster of long, white hairs were stuck in the bricks on the corner of the building on Dartmouth Alley. The hairs were distinctly Victoria's, and Alonzo could smell her scent on the corner of the bricks when he got really close to the wall. "All right, so we know she was taken this way. Look around for other clues, we don't want to lose the trail now that we've found it." Munkustrap, who had arrived only a few minutes earlier, commanded.

"I can smell a little bit," Alonzo said, stepping away from the wall. "But as soon as I'm away from the hair, I can't smell Victoria at all. Just death."

"Death?" Plato looked a bit skeptical. "What sort of smell is that?"

"Rotting." Alonzo answered shortly. "It gets stronger this way."

"We're following his nose?" Bustopher was still hanging around, most likely (in Alonzo's opinion) for the sole purpose of tormenting them. "What is he, a Pollicle or something?"

Skimble sighed deeply. "Why don't you head over and make the rounds of your restaurants, Bustopher, perhaps someone there has heard something about Victoria or this Lord Gohkan. We'll continue here. Alonzo and Plato are the best trackers in the tribe, and Munkustrap the best warrior. I'm not too shabby myself, so I think we have it covered here."

"Oh, yes, of course. And if I happen to have some mutton while I'm there, well, I've got to keep my strength up. Victoria wouldn't want me to waste away. What good would that do her?" Bustopher rationalized. "Keep up the good work gents. We simply must find Victoria with all haste!" Alonzo watched him hurry away (as hurried as Bustopher ever got) out of the corner of his eye, with a vaguely disgusted look on his face.

"He's thinking about eating NOW?" Alonzo asked the others incredulously.

This time it was Munkustrap who sighed deeply. "Really, Alonzo. He's worried about his niece. When he's upset, Bustopher eats."

"And when he's happy, and when he's just sort of existing, Bustopher eats..." Plato chimed in. "Come on, forget about that. I can't figure out where this trail goes for the life of me. Alonzo, what do you think?"

Alonzo sniffed again, and wished he could return to his dragon form. His nose as a cat might be amazing for a cat, but his senses as a dragon were much better. "I think this way. Let's work our way forward, and if we lose the trail we'll have to back track."

"Our best option so far, anyways." Skimble added, glancing nervously down the alley. "Though I don't like this end of town..."

* * *

The trail was elusive, but in the end, they followed it down past the docks, and back up and out of the city into the countryside nearby, where it then led to a sink hole. "You know how I asked how Bustopher could want to eat earlier?" Alonzo commented as they looked down at the dark hole. "I understand now. It's been over a day, and we haven't eaten hardly anything. Do you think this is a good idea?"

Munkustrap looked undecided. "Any delay could cost Victoria dearly. On the other paw, we might need our full strength to get her out. Then again, simply standing here we could have been detected. Or, this might not even be the end of the trail. It might come out again later. I say we have no choice but to go in."

"What about a light?" Skimble asked. "I haven't got one on me, and away from the entrance it could get pretty dark."

"I've know a little chant that makes a glow," volunteered Alonzo, "it's really dim, but I think it will get us through. It's about as much magic as I can do."

"All right, then, let's go. Alonzo first, then me, then Plato and Skimble." Munkustrap ordered. Alonzo crawled down towards the hole, and then jumped in, followed shortly by Munku.

"Ugh, it's wet and slippery," Plato whined quietly as he started to descend into the sink hole. "Why couldn't it be a dry cave?"

"Shh," Skimble hissed, "someone might be listening."

And so it was that the four cats quietly descended into the darkness.

* * *

The cave was actually pretty dry for a cave, at least that's what Alonzo thought. The glow spell was barely sufficient for sight, but it was the best they had. A pity, he thought, since some of the formations looked like they might be truly beautiful. It was just as this thought crossed his mind that the glow went out, and all he saw was darkness.

"Alonzo, the light!" Munku hissed.

"I don't know what's wrong." Alonzo hissed back.

"Ahh! Who's there? Was that you, Skimble?" Plato asked in a quavery voice.

"I didn't touch any. . . Ah, let me go!"

"Skimble!"

Something leapt on Alonzo from behind, and he struggled desperately to get free. Only one thought came into his head, 'I refuse to die in the dark like this!'

Claws, teeth, and all manners of risky acrobatic maneuvers were employed as he tried to fight off his assailant. Gradually the sounds of fighting around him died out, but he focused on his attacker. Any distraction could mean the end.

A lucky blow (for Alonzo would admit that it was luck to himself, even if he would maintain that it was skill to anyone else) brought down his assailant, and Alonzo muttered his glow chant again. For some reason, it worked now. As he looked about, he saw that his assailant was actually another cat, but as he watched, the cat dissolved into air. "A golem? A sending?" He muttered. "Munku, Skimble, Plato what do you think..." His question died on his tongue as he realized that the others were not there. They must have been captured. He was alone.

Taking a deep calming breath to prevent panic, Alonzo assessed the situation. He could go back and get help. But by then, the trail would be really cold. He could try and find Victoria's trail again and follow it, or he could assume that his companions had been taken the same way as Victoria. Plato's scent in particular was still strong, and would be relatively easy to follow.

Really, what choice was there? Alonzo turned and followed Plato's scent deeper into the cave.

* * *

"I sure hope we can find our way out of here." Alonzo nearly jumped at the sound of his own voice, had he really spoken aloud? The cave was immense. Really, it was like a labyrinth. So long as he followed Plato's scent, he was fine. Worry about the rest later, he told himself.

Suddenly, the ground was no longer underneath his feet. He slid quite a ways, biting his tongue to keep from cursing and yowling the whole way. Stupid, to forget to watch for holes in the floor!

When he finally stopped falling, he looked up to see Victoria chained to a wall with a pure white cat towering over her, clad all in black and white. The cat turned, and, seeing him, uttered an incantation that Alonzo didn't recognize. Two cats appeared out of thin air, and screeching like banshees, attacked Alonzo.

He hardly had time to register that the strange cat was a magic user before everything went dark.


	6. Witch's Council

A/N: HA HA HA HA!! YES!! This has to be like the fastest update in the history of me. And it isn't even a really pathetically short chapter. Woo-hoo!

Disclaimer: Still no owning of Cats.

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**Part 6: Witch's Council**

"Once again, I assure you, I have done nothing to any Jellicle in the last few weeks." Macavity told Tantomile. He pulled at a long strand of hair and eyed it angrily. "Has my hair changed color since the last time we met?"

"How about you ask Hellfire?" Tanto suggested.

"If my hair's changed color? That sounds a bit silly."

"Arrggh! Quit it. I know your trying to annoy me or something, but right now is not the time. Would you ask Hellfire about Victoria's disappearance?" Tanto flung her arms up in the air and wished that she could just strangle the supposed Napolean of Crime. "Don't you supposedly control all crime? Isn't this catnapping without your awareness a grave insult to your position?"

"I already asked Hellfire." Macavity glanced lazily at her. "Before I came. He said, and I quote, 'Death has taken her.' And then he laughed his silly face off." Closing his eyes, he sighed deeply. "I get no respect."

"Maybe if you deserved respect, you'd get it." Tanto snapped. "Exo, are you sure those cards don't tell you anything?"

"Nothing Maccy here didn't just tell us."

"Do not call me that!" Macavity snapped at the fortune teller, and rather suddenly all the candles in the room lit. "Or you'll wish you were in hell with that infernal Hellfire!" Never mess with a warlock whose main element is fire. People who wield fire tend to have a temperament to match it, and are easy to anger.

"Make a wish." Coricopat suggested to Tantomile. "Why have a genie around, if you can't make a wish? If we phrase it correctly, she might be able to grant it."

"Stupid genie limitations. I suppose without them, a genie would be all powerful and we'd probably have to worry about them conquering the world." Tanto pulled Sillabub's bottle after belt and commanded her to come forth.

"Yes master?"

"Why does the witch get all the respect and I get none?" Macavity muttered in the background.

"Enough with the master business. Sillabub, I have a wish."

"A wish? I suppose you need another fire bottle or something." Silly crossed her arms and pouted. "You never wish for anything interesting."

"This wish is much more interesting." Tanto assured her, "I wish for the ability to find Victoria!"

Obliging Silly crossed her fingers and muttered her wishing chant, before pointing at Tanto. Nothing happened. "I don't think I can do that."

"I wish for a map to Victoria?" Tanto ventured, but Silly still couldn't perform it.

"To meet someone who knows where she is?" Still, nothing happened. "Ahh! It's hopeless."

"How about, I wish for you to transport us to Victoria?" Macavity suggested.

Silly paused. "Master, that might work." She raised her arms as if to make the wish, and Tanto hurriedly cut her off.

"If we're going to wish that, we need to make sure that we have everyone and everything we need, so that we won't be left stranded if it works."

"Well, we have everyone already..." Exo started to say, then cut herself off. "Wait, shouldn't Alonzo be back from patrol duty by now?"

"Yeah, he should have been back hours ago..." Tanto thought aloud.

"Don't look at us." Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer chorused. "For once, it wasn't us."

"I didn't say anything!" Tanto snapped. "Someone needs to run over to the main Junkyard and see what the hold up is."

"I'll do it," Cassandra offered.

"Now, what will we need for when she gets back with Alonzo..." Tanto tapped her black gloved finger on her lip in thought.

"How about you focus on remembering your new spells, and I'll take care of gathering essentials." Corico suggested.

"Oh, that sounds fine. I guess." Secretly Tanto hated to relinquish control of anything to anyone, but in times of desperation she recognized the necessity of delegation. She still didn't like it, though. "Practice it is then."

"Don't assume I'm coming with you." Macavity told them before turning and stepping outside.

"Think we're s'posed ta go wit' him?" Jer asked Teaz. She shrugged, and the two plopped down on the floor to watch the proceedings.

"Fire spells, water spells..." Tanto ran through the list of spells in her mind, trying to tune out Corico talking to the genie. George came up and leaned his little dragon head on her knee with a mournful expression. "Something wrong?"

The little dragon simply shrugged, then became a boy. "I dunno. Just a bad feeling."

"Well, we'll take care of everything. You'll see." Tanto assured him.

He giggled a little bit. "You sound like Munkustrap when you talk like that. All responsible and heroic."

"I do not!" Tanto laughed. "I'm just determined. Not heroic. I..."

The door swung open and in stepped Cassandra, looking annoyed. "Alonzo already went with Munkustrap and a search party looking for Victoria. Old Deuteronomy said that Bustopher Jones brought a note from a Lord Gohkan, telling the Jellicles not to come after Victoria. Of course, they ignored it, just like I assume we intend to ignore it."

"Lord Gohkan? The necromancer? Oh no." Tanto glanced at Exotica. "Got any readings on how the rescue party fares?"

Exo consulted her cards. "There's a bad omen. Like, they're having success now, but later will pay. Maybe they're going to get captured."

"Well then, we should get going now!" Tanto exclaimed.

"Wait," Corico held up his hand, "If we go up against Lord Gohkan we must be at full strength. He won't kill the rescue party right away, it's not his style. He'll move slowly, assuming that there will be no more resistance, at least not any worthwhile resistance. His magic takes a certain amount of time. We should gather supplies, rest, and leave as soon as we're rested. Then we stand the greatest chance of surviving."

"Surviving? I thought I was supposed to defeat him." Tanto queried.

"I don't think you're strong enough yet to defeat him. I do think that together we can best him and escape with Victoria and the other rescue team."

"And you know everything?" Tanto said sarcastically. "Wait, it was a rhetorical question. Don't answer it."

* * *

She simply could not get to sleep. Even with Coricopat's words of advice resounding in her head, she simply could not lay her mind to rest. Tanto shifted restlessly, then nearly jumped out of her skin as she realized that a pair of eyes were watching her. "Mind if I stay over?" Macavity grinned at her.

"Why are you in my room?" She demanded, sitting up and pulling her blankets around her (a bit of a silly gesture, considering she hadn't even bothered putting on pajamas today and was still wearing her day clothes).

"Just looking for a place to stay. I'd go back to my lair, but I might miss all the fun." He flopped in the arm chair across from her bed and closed his eyes, as if not caring whether she said he could stay or not.

"I thought you said not to count on you coming."

The Napolean of Crime cracked one eye open to look at her. "Maybe all your rhetoric about the crime world getting out of my control convinced me. Reputation is very important, you know."

"Yeah, sure. Whatever."

He chuckled. "Or maybe I just like things to be interesting. Perhaps that's why I work so hard to be the Napolean of Crime. Lots of interesting things happen to me this way."

"You're also known as a monster of depravity, so maybe your just twisted." She retorted.

"Well, then, if I'm just twisted, then what reason do I need? Maybe I just want to watch you suffer."

Tanto sighed and flopped back on her bed again. "So are you going to help or not?"

"I think I'll bring those horrible cats, and maybe that power stealer friend of yours. In a pinch, he might even be able to temporarily disarm the Necromancer." He sounded a bit thoughtful.

"How'd you find out it was the Necromancer? We discussed that after you left."

"Tantomile, darling, I'm the Napolean of Crime. I have my ways."

"You probably just talked to Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer, didn't you." Tanto sighed again. "Whatever. I need to sleep. You better not watch me while I'm sleeping. I suppose if you're coming, you should sleep, too."

"I never really sleep." He commented, "Just sort of close my eyes, so that you'll think I'm asleep."

"Yeah, sure. Right. Whatever." She rolled over so she was facing away from the annoying warlock. "We leave at dawn."

"At dawn? How dramatic." He remarked snidely.

"I should kick you out." She flipped over and glared at him.

"But you won't." Macavity didn't even open his eyes.

"What, you like me or something?" Tanto demanded. "That you have to sleep in my room?"

"You're a beanpole. I don't look at girls like you." Macavity told her, eyes still shut. "Your chair just happens to be the comfiest place in this ridiculous house."

"Ahh!" She flipped over and ignored him. "Good, because if you had said you liked me, I might have had to kill you, since you're so damn annoying." She thought she heard him chuckle, but she told herself she was just imagining it. Eventually, she drifted off to sleep.

* * *

"Everyone ready?" Tanto questioned. Nods and affirmative responses from the gathered group were her answer. "Okay. Silly, I wish for all of us to be transported to Victoria." Crossing her fingers, Sillabub muttered her wishing chant. Tantomile, Coricopat, George, Cassandra, Exotica, Macavity, Bill Bailey, Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer all stood about expectantly. George, even as a young dragon, had exceptional senses, otherwise Tanto would have forced him to stay behind because of his age. Age was the reason that Quaxo/Mistoffolees had not been informed of their departure. Tanto had gone to the trouble of sending Cassandra to tell Deuteronomy of their departure beforehand, and the cleric had assured her that they had his blessings.

As she thought about all their plans, she also hoped that her wish would work. The room darkened, and suddenly was gone.

Her wish had come true.


End file.
